National Abalone Health Work Plan - Summary Table
Legend
| Grey = Complete | Green = Funded | Amber = PARTLY funded | Red = NOT funded |
Epidemiology
1. Diagnostic test development
| OUTCOME | PROGRESS | FUNDING STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Technique to isolate and concentrate AbHv from abalone tissues Vic DPI, CSIRO-AAHL | COMPLETED | Funded Part of FRDC project 2007/006 |
| 1.2 A rapid and specific diagnostic test CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW | COMPLETED | Funded Part of FRDC project 2007/006; in-kind support provided by Tas DPIW as part of the test validation process |
| 1.3 Quantitative real-time PCR test CSIRO-AAHL | PROJECT TO COMMENCE (Delayed due to contract issues) | Funded Part of FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 1.4 Secondary diagnostic test (in situ hybridisation, ISH) CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW | COMMENCED | Funded Part of a FRDC project 2007/006; with additional funding CSIRO-AAHL and Vic DPI |
| 1.5 Validation of diagnostic tests (including ISH) CSIRO-AAHL, state diagnostic laboratories | COMMENCED | Funded Part of FRDC project 2007/006;Tas DPIW (in-kind support); part of FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 1.6 Investigation of the applicability of diagnostic techniques suitable to detect sub-clinical carriage CSIRO-AAHL, Tas DPWI, SARDI, Vic DPI | PROJECT TO COMMENCE August 2009 | Funded Part of FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 1.7 Case definition for AVG Aquatic CCEAD, NAAH-TWG | COMPLETED | Funded Initially through in-kind support of AqCCEAD members |
2. Aetiology & Immunology
| OUTCOME | PROGRESS | FUNDING STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 Confirmation that the isolated and sequenced virus is the causative agent of AVG CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW | COMPLETED Manuscripts in preparation | Funded Part of FRDC project 2007/006 |
| 2.2 Compare various isolates of the AbHv collected from different regions throughout Australia CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW | PROJECT TO COMMENCE August 2009 | Funded To be addressed through FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 2.3 Establish the possible relationships with other viral mollusc diseases that have occurred overseas CSIRO-AAHL | COMMENCED Further collaboration under negotiation | Funded Part of FRDC project 2007/006 |
| 2.4 Determine if other species (abalone and other molluscs) are suitable hosts for AVG CSIRO-AAHL, in-kind support for collection of samples | NOT COMMENCED; MODERATE PRIORITY | Not funded Some economies possible through existing projects e.g. FRDC 2009/032. Infection trials at CSIRO-AAHL have been estimated to cost $60,000 |
| 2.5 Establish whether abalone can mount an immune response to infection Flinders University, TAFI, Vic DPI, CSIRO-AAHL | COMMENCED | Funded Seafood CRC/FRDC PhD project: Antiviral Activity and Resistance to AVG |
3. Virus inactivation and Transmission
| OUTCOME | PROGRESS | FUNDING STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Agent stability (Survival of the virus in seawater) CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, SARDI, PIRSA, Tas DPIW | PROJECT TO COMMENCE August 2009 | Funded Part of FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 3.2 Agent stability (Survival of the virus on fomites) CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, SARDI, PIRSA, Tas DPIW | PROJECT TO COMMENCE August 2009 | Funded Part of FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 3.3 Agent stability (Efficacy of treatments) CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, SARDI, PIRSA, Tas DPIW | PROJECT TO COMMENCE August 2009 | Funded Part of FRDC project 2009/032 |
| 3.4 Assess and refine decontamination and disinfection protocols for AbHv under a range of conditions AAHC | PROJECT TO COMMENCE following the results of projects 3.1 to 3.3 | Not Funded separately Extension of project 5.2 |
4. Surveillance
| OUTCOME | PROGRESS | FUNDING STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 Establish the true extent of virus distribution around the affected areas in abalone populations in Victoria and Tasmania CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW | COMMENCED | Funded Part of FRDC project 2007/006 In-kind support required for completion. Surveillance activities have been undertaken by jurisdictions and industry |
| 4.2 Establish the true range of virus throughout Australia Jurisdictions | COMMENCED; HIGH PRIORITY | Partly Funded Surveillance activities have been undertaken by state governments and industry but the effort is not coordinated. In-kind support from jurisdictions (provision of samples) and funds for testing are required to establish the distribution of this virus in Australia |
Biosecurity
5. Biosecurity Work Plan-incorporating: Emergency Preparedness including Response Agreements & Mitigation and Prevention
| OUTCOME | PROGRESS | FUNDING STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 Investigate an emergency aquatic animal disease response agreement (EAADRA) using the abalone industry as a first model AAHC (AHC from 1 July 2009) | COMMENCED | Funded Initially funded by DAFF. In July 2008 NBC endorsed a shared funding arrangement for two years to enable the AAHC-EAADRA working group to meet its terms of reference; shared between eight partners (six states, NT, Aus Govt) plus in-kind support from contributors. 8/2/09 - Progressing well and a draft document has been produced. |
| 5.2 Consolidate biosecurity measures for each jurisdiction into consistent national biosecurity guidelines AAHC, jurisdictions, industry | NOT COMMENCED | Not funded $30,000 is required to review the considerable work undertaken by jurisdictions and industry to develop a nationally agreed approach to abalone biosecurity. 8/2/10 – Still not funded. |
| 5.3 National contingency plan for AVG outbreaks DAFF, NAAH-TWG, AAHC | COMMENCED | Funded DAFF. In-kind support from NAAH-TWG as part of the technical review process |
| 5.4 Biosecurity Surveillance Incident Response and Tracing (BioSIRT) PIRSA, DAFF, Tas DPIW | COMMENCED | Funded The BioSIRT program is fully supported and funded by jurisdictions and the Commonwealth. In-kind support PIRSA and Tas DPIW |
Stock sustainability
6. Stock Sustainability
| OUTCOME | PROGRESS | FUNDING STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| 6.1 Economic cost benefit analysis of rebuilding intervention options WADA (Mr Harry Peeters), Biospherics (Dr Jeremy Prince,) Dr Sarah Jennings, UTAS | COMPLETED | Funded FRDC Project No. 2008/076. ($43,000) Research report completed - Prince & Peeters (2010) Costs-benefit Analysis of Implementing Alternative Techniques for Rehabilitating Reefs Severely Depleted by the Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis Epidemic. |
| 6.2 Develop a robust Total Allowable Catch (TAC) setting process for affected fisheries Vic DPI, Industry | COMMENCED | Partly funded Being considered through the development of new Victorian Abalone Fishery Management Plan. In kind contributions from VPDI and the abalone industry. Potential for a further R&D project in future as will rely on outputs from other projects. WADA applying for additional FRDC funding as TRF. |
| 6.3 Develop methodologies for stock rebuilding interventions including decision framework for best intervention option and evaluation WADA, Vic DPI, SARDI, NSW abalone industry | COMPLETED Structured fishing design completed and now in operation. | Funded FRDC Project No. 2008/077. Research report completed - Peeters et al (2010) Developing cost-effective and reliable Industry-based surveys to advise reopening and conservative management of abalone populations on AVG-affected reefs. Research report completed - Mayfield et al (2009) Biomass of blacklip abalone (Haliotis Rubra) between Pt Fairy and the Crags in the Western Zone of the Victorian abalone fishery. SARDI Publication Number F2009/000443-1.) |
| 6.5 Determine interdependencies between ecosystem components and stock rebuilding options Vic DPI | COMPLETED | Funded FRDC Project No. 2006/040. VDPI ($212,000), FRDC ($314,000). Research report completed - Hamer et al. (2010) Understanding the ecological role of abalone in the reef ecosystem of Victoria. ISBN #978-1-74217-916-2 |
| 6.6 Management Strategy Evaluation - Rapid response to abalone virus depletion in western Victoria Melbourne University, Vic DPI | COMPLETED | Funded FRDC Project No. 2007/066. Simulation modelling of four disease-affected reefcodes in the Port Fairy region modelling completed. Results reported in Fish news article and in segment on Escape with ET. Research report completed – Gorfine et al (2008) Rapid response to abalone virus depletion in western Victoria: information acquisition and reef code assessment. |